CHAPTER 2

RECAP:

As soon as we got outside I stopped, but didn't turn around. I didn't know what to say. How could I express what I was feeling? How would she react? Would she reject me?

"What is it, Dimitri?" she asked me, tiredly.

I was pulled out of my thoughts. I sighed. There was only one way to find out.

"I love you."

Chapter 2: RPOV

I was shocked when he said he needed to talk to me. This was the last thing I was expecting. I figured he would tell me that I wasn't needed anymore and to go jump off a cliff. Instead he said he loved me. My heart leapt up at his words. Then I remembered how much he hurt me- not while he was strigoi, but after he came back. When he said his love had faded.

"Really? That's surprising considering a week ago you said that your love had faded and to leave you alone." I put as much snarkiness into my voice as I could.

He visibly winced. "Roza-"

"No!" I cut him off. "You don't get to call me that! You lost that right! My. Name. is. Rose!"

"Roz-Rose. Please listen." he begged. "When I came back, I couldn't believe everything I had done- especially to you. I couldn't see how I could do that. All I had room for was the guilt. But seeing you everyday. And not being with you. Not talking to you. It's killing me. I miss you so much. I love you so much. I need you in my life. I was so stupid. And I'm so, so sorry. For everything. Please give me another chance. I know I don't deserve it, but I promise I won't hurt you again. Please. Just give me one more chance."

I couldn't believe everything he had just said. Part of me wanted to run up to him and hug him and kiss him- to have him hold me and tell me everything would be okay. But as usual, the smart mouth part of me won out.

"You're right," I could see hope light in his eyes. It killed part of me to crush it, but I did anyways, and part of my heart died with it. "you don't deserve it."

I could see his pain so clearly. He didn't even try to cover it up. His eyes were so full of pain. He closed them and took a deep breath in and let it out. Then he slowly opened his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was strained-anyone could hear the pain in it.

"I'm so sorry, Rose. For everything. But I know you're right. No matter how much I love you, what I did was unforgivable. I'm sorry. I won't bother you again. Good night." he walked away, his shoulders hunched in defeat. I watched him disappear into the night as my heart crumbled into microscopic pieces.

DPOV

I walked of into the dark night aimlessly; nothing seemed to matter anymore. Now I knew how much I had hurt her. Was that how she felt the first time I told her I didn't love her after the lust charm? And then after I was turned back into a dhamphir when I told her my love had faded? I was so stupid! I didn't deserve her. She had forgiven me. She told me she had. But I wouldn't accept it. I wouldn't accept that she could forgive me. Damn it! Why couldn't I have just run to her as soon as I came back? Why hadn't I thanked her for bringing me back! Vasilisa may have done the staking, but I knew Roza- Rose- had done everything else-I just wouldn't accept it. I wouldn't accept that she could still love me. And now I'm paying for it. I had made my bed. Now I had to lie in it. But how could I? what I had said was true- I needed her in my life. She was like air to me. I couldn't live without her. But she had made it adamantly clear that I couldn't have her. So what was the point of living now?

I pulled out my phone and started writing out a letter to the Princess. I typed and deleted and then typed again. When I was finally done I sighed and hit 'send'. Then I set off again, knowing what I was about to do would hurt Roza more than anything else I had done so far. I'm sorry, Roza. It's not your fault. I know I'm being selfish. I'm sorry.

Lissa POV

About half an hour after Rose and Dimitri walked out, Rose came back in. I guess things hadn't gone so well then. A few minutes later, I got a text. I opened my phone and stared at it in horror.

"Liss! What's wrong?" Rose demands. I silently handed her my phone, my hand trembling. She looks at it and so much pain flashes in her eyes.

"Rose?" Adrian asks. "Are you okay? What is it?"

"A-a letter…from Dimitri…A goodbye letter…" she starts crying.

"What? What does it say?" Adrian asks.

Her voice trembling, Rose begins to read the text out loud.

"Dear Princess. I'm sorry for what I'm about to do. I know this will hurt both you and Roza deeply. This is very selfish of me, but I have to do it. I love Roza so much. But I have ruined everything between us. I have hurt her so much, and I know I don't deserve her, but I need her in my life so badly. I can't live without her. I need her like I need air to breathe. I am so sorry for hurting you both, but I am ending my life tonight. I will never have her again, and I can't live with that. I now know how much I hurt her, and it kills me, but I can't change it. And I can't live with it. Goodbye. And I'm sorry for wasting the second chance at life you gave me. Next time give it to someone who deserves it. Dimitri."

I couldn't believe it. How could he do this to Rose? But I looked at Rose and knew. She had told him she didn't love him. She had hurt him like he hurt her, and unlike her, he had no one else to lean on.